1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluid flow routing device and method for its use and, more particularly, relates to a device for combining, splitting, and otherwise conveying liquid streams of photosensitizing solution to designated pipelines through designated systems flow paths.
2. Description of Related Art
In the manufacture of photographic products, it is often necessary to combine multiple streams of fluids and to split other streams of fluid to produce streams of fluids having the desired characteristics. This is especially true in applications in which the fluids are applied in a multiple layer coating process. Traditionally, one of two methods has been used to select a designated combination of flow paths.
The first method employs a system of multi-port valves connecting a plurality of inlet pipes to one another and to a plurality of outlet pipes. The valves are actuated either electrically or manually to provide the switching operation required to produce the designated combination of flow paths. While this method provides acceptable flow path selection where only a few lines are involved, the large number of valves required for applications requiring more than a few lines takes up a great deal of space and is undesirably heavy. Moreover, assembly of these complicated systems is difficult and expensive, decreasing the versatility of the system. In addition, since automatically controlled switching systems are extremely complicated and thus fail often, and since there is a high rate of occurrence of human error in manually controlled systems, these systems must be shut down relatively often to identify and solve the problem. While this is not desirable in any application because it wastes fluids and increases operating costs, it is especially troublesome in applications in which materials must be stored while the problem is being identified and solved, since the photographic properties of these materials may change unacceptably during such storage.
The second method of fluid path selection employs a plurality of large two-dimensional panels having fixed optional connections between valve fittings and a number of hose connections, typically six, which must be manually disconnected from one another and reconnected in new ways with each change of product type being manufactured to produce the desired combination of flow paths. These connections are made one at a time according to a previous plan without physical guidance or assurance that the mechanical connections are correct. One such panel is sold under the name Flo-vertor, and is manufactured by TCI-Superior, a Mueller Company.
While these panels provide acceptable flow path selection, they exhibit several disadvantages. First, they are very large and thus require a great deal of operating space. Second, since hydraulic hoses must be manually matched to appropriate locations in the panel, the selection operation requires a great deal of time of a skilled operator. This decreases the efficiency and increases the operating expenses of the device. Third, since the connection and disconnection operations are quite complicated, the chances of human error are relatively high. While the chances of such error can be reduced through the provision of proximity switches on the panel, such proximity switches increase the complexity and operating costs of the device.
There has thus been a need for the provision of a device for selecting the flow paths of photosensitive fluid streams which is sanitary, reliable, compact, and simple to produce and operate. There has also been a need for the provision of a device for selectively switching the flow paths of a system of fluid flow paths in a simple and reliable manner, and to provide a process for simply and reliably selecting a combination of fluid flow paths from a plurality of combinations of flow paths. It would therefore be highly desirable to provide a simple flow path selection device which has no moving parts, which can be installed or changed by an unskilled operator in a short period of time, and which can operate unattended and reliably for as long as necessary.